A Thousand Falling Leaves
by scarlettHuntress
Summary: Seven drabbles from requests. SZC, and variations of. Tidbits from perfect summer days.


_This is a series of drabbles I did for reviewers of my Fic, Mix. I know the official meaning of drabble is a story around a hundred words, but I just can't stop myself, really. Anyway, I hope you enjoy._

_These are actually long overdue. Whoops. Also, the length of the drabbles vary because some ideas grip me more than others._

_Because of FFnet's wonky formatting, it was hard to tell where one drabble started and the other ended. Because they are meant to be separate, I tried to make it a little clearer._

_--_

_Drabble no.1 for _Following Padfoot's Pawprints_. Prompt- Cloud taking Zack back home. _

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"Holy shit," Zack breathed, sliding out of the truck and into the icy air. "It's frigging fucking freezing out here! And I swear, I just sunk about twenty centimeters into this snow! Does it always snow that much up here?"

A hint of a smile showed itself on Cloud's face. "I did tell you to dress warmly, Zack. It's not my fault if you didn't listen."

Cheered at an actual positive emotion from Cloud after observing the younger man's silent musings in the ride over, Zack crunched over and slung an arm over his shoulders. "Aww, Cloudie, your love for me will keep me warm!" snickering as he dodged a punch but somehow ended up falling down into a snow drift. Pulling himself upright Zack followed Cloud's graceful tracks in the snow, up to where they stopped at the edge of the hill where they parked and looked down the short distance to the town.

Cloud inhaled deeply, then sighed.

Zack waited patiently.

"This..." Blue eyes glanced at Zack, before flicking back at the small town. "This is the town I grew up in. I don't have many good memories of growing up here, but it is home." Reassured by Zack's understanding gaze, Cloud continued.

"I told them I wouldn't return until I made it into SOLDIER. Here I am, a third class. I've done alright, I guess. I think my goal was to prove I wasn't just a nobody- to prove I was worth something." Memories of being abused, taunted, or just plain out ignored flashed through his head. "I wanted to prove I was worth this town. But you know what? Nibelheim doesn't deserve me!" Cloud's smile was wide and sincere, and only a slight touch of bitterness resided in it. An answering smile sprang to life on Zack's face.

"That's the spirit, Cloudie!" Zack grabbed him in a rib-cracking tight embrace. "You are an amazing guy, after all. Now, take me to meet your mum!"

Cloud elbowed him. "Just promise me you won't hit on her, okay?"

"No promises!"

In town, Cloud was surprised and guiltily delighted to recognise his lead tormenter as a child now slouched over a park bench, stone drunk and retching with stained clothes and thick stubble on his face at lunch time. He was so busy staring in wonder at his town that he barely heard a feminine cry of "Cloud!"

"Wow," Zack murmured at his side. "She's a cutie, isn't she?"

He looked up to see Tifa running towards him. "Oh my god! Cloud! It's been three years!"

_Whoops... that's a pretty long drabble_

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_Drabble No.2 for _Tobi-Uchiha_, Prompt: SZC in the rain._

_--_

"But do you like rain?" Zack persisted, attempting to shield his eyes with his hands. The rain came down in sheets, but the three standing in the field were already sodden from head to toe.

"Not currently, Zack. Now are you going to let us inside, or will I have to take the key from you by force?'' Sephiroth sighed, flipping a big chunk of soaking wet silver hair over his shoulder.

"Force, please!" Zack grinned. "Oh, you look like a drowned rat right now!"

"You don't look much better yourself, Zachary..."

"Sorry, Seph," piped up the third member of the group, albeit slightly muffled. "You really should have your jacket back- I don't mind getting wet, really!"

"Cloud, you're the one most vulnerable to sickness here, unenhanced as you are. I insist that you stay under the jacket."

"Now that's something you don't hear every day," snickered certain SOLDIER first. "But you know he looks ridiculous like that, right Seph? I mean, you just chucked your trench coat over his head! Anyway, is leather even waterproof?"

"Um.... it is sort of getting hard to breathe under here, guys," Cloud told them, unaware of the deadly glares Sephiroth was giving Zack.

"He wouldn't have that problem if you'd just unlock the door already, Zack!" Sephiroth all but growled, fixing his SiC with a glare.

"I told you, you have to use force on me!" Zack leered, poking his tongue out at him. "I'm still waiting, you know!"

Zack was tackled to the ground a second later. Unfortunately, a flailing leg tripped Cloud up, bringing him into the mess with the other two.

Zack was laughing too hard to speak for a few seconds as Sephiroth helped a struggling Cloud pull the soaking leather over his head. "Well, this is cozy, isn't it?"

"The key, Zack?" Sephiroth sighed.

"Oh, that old thing? I lost it last week." He adopted his best puppy-dog look. "But you guys still love me, right?"

A moment of silence reigned.

"The spare key's still around the back, right?" Cloud finally spoke up. "Wanna lock him out?"

--

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_Drabble No.3 for _OceanSapphire_. Prompt- Zack and Cloud on valentines' day see Reno with someone. _

_--_

"More chocolate, my sweet?"

"God, Zack, how many chocolates are you planning on feeding me!" Cloud complained, attempting to pull out of the other's iron grip.

"But this is how I express my love! You know I love you, right pumpkin?" Zack rubbed his cheek against Clouds', trying to force another truffle into his mouth.

"Damnit Zack! It is- wait, is that Reno?" The two stopped to stare at the redhead handing someone a box of chocolates.

"Wow.... that's Tseng, head of the Turks. Didn't even know Reno swung that way!" Zack remarked, taking the opportunity to force a chocolate into Cloud's mouth.

"Mmth! Zzck!" Cloud attempted to shout at the SOLDIER molesting him, and of course was relieved when Zack stopped abruptly to stare at something across the courtyard.

Swallowing quickly, Cloud called his name. Zack blinked.

"Look, it's Reno! But... with the President's son this time! But we only saw him with that Turk a second ago!"

"Umm..."

"So what, Reno's trying to pick up or is he dating two people at once? I am so confused!" Zack whined, popping another chocolate into Cloud's mouth absentmindedly much to the blonde's dismay.

"And now he's going up to someone else! Wait, who is that bald guy? Never seen him before in my life! And I know most of the people he- OW!" Slipping out of Zack's grip, Cloud took across the courtyard.

"CLOUD! MY DARLING! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT THOSE IN LOVE HAVE TO SPEND VALENTINES' DAY TOGETHER? IT'S TRADITION! COME BAACK!" he cried, getting worried and scared glances from people nearby.

Perhaps if Zack knew Cloud would return after retrieving the box of Chocolates he had bought for the older man then Zack wouldn't be shouting so loudly. But then again, knowing Zack, it might just be like waving a red flag at a bull.

Of course, he didn't notice Reno's attempts of wooing yet another person mere metres away.

--

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_Drabble no.4 for _Li-Bai - Opus 3 No. 2 _– Zack shrinking Cloud's clothes in the wash._

_(Ok ok sorry, but I realized that the other drabbles were way too long so they're gonna get shorter hereonout. Hopefully.... otherwise they'll never get finished)._

_--_

"Uh, Zack?"

"Yes, my poppet- oh. Oh, wow..."

"Zack?" Cloud shifted uncomfortably. "You washed this in cold water like on the label, right? Only, it seems tighter than before, much tighter."

"Yeah, I um." Zack blinked rapidly, but didn't appear to be taking any of that in. Instead, his eyes were trained on Cloud. On the too-tight shirt that he was wearing that highlighted the slight curve of his _oh-so_ grippable w-waist, and the way his collarbone poked out, g-_ohgods_ glistening with moisture from the shower he had just taken. "I'm just gonna grab a camera- uh- stay here!"

Cloud blinked. Huh? What just happened? H-had Zack been _drooling?_

Two weeks later whilst putting away his laundry, Cloud noticed that all his clothes seemed to have become much smaller than they used to be. He only smirked. He hadn't forgotten what happened last time Zack did the laundry- after all, the hickeys had only just faded. But then he thought to Zack now innocently applying what he thought was hair gel, and the smirk got wider. Maybe he'd let Cloud help lick the Golden Syrup off?

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_Drabble Number six for DanteMoon: hm not sure what i what for a drabble... lol kind of into alot of the cloud and leon thing... :P but still love zack and cloud XD Anyways keep up the great story writing ^_^_

_I really didn't know what to do for this one, so I just tried to encorporate Leon/Squall into this._

_--_

Cloud walked along the street at Zack's side, almost tucked into the other man's side. It was cold, he reasoned to himself, and sometimes it was okay to be like this. Besides, it's not like his squadmates could see him right now...

Zack's arm tightened around her waist, trying to pull Cloud closer, and Cloud almost snickered. Even when sleeping, Zack had cuddle instincts that caused him to try to snuggle up to Cloud- or anyone, really, whenever he could.

It was ridiculous, really, a first-class SOLDIER being a snuggle-bug. Oh well, Cloud thought as they wandered the side streets of Midgar, it wasn't often that they had time off like this. And it was nearly Yuletide, so they were enjoying their precious time off.

Cloud's eyes wandered as they walked, drawn to a display of gleaming weapons in a shopfront. Of course he wouldn't even consider buying a sword, but he still longed for the time he could wield a weapon as a SOLDIER. So caught up in these thoughts, he bumped against a man standing in the street.

"Aah, I'm sorry!" Cloud quickly said, looking up into storm-grey eyes. The man's eyes seemed to widen slightly as he took in Cloud. Zack shifted his side as the brown-haired stranger continued to stare at him.

"I-I'm sorry, Sir..." Cloud repeated, nudging Zack into movement. "I'll be going, now,".

Trying to escape his gaze, Cloud was even more agitated when the man barked out a "Wait!"

The stranger looked at him once more, searchingly. Cloud took in the scar in the middle of the man's face, and his intricate necklace over his plain white shirt.

"You're Cloud Strife, correct?"

"I- how did you?" Cloud looked at him with wide eyes. "Do... do I know you?"

"No," The man said, looking strangely distant. "I guess you don't."

"How do you know who he is then?" Zack interjected, strangely angry.

"That doesn't matter-" continuing even though Zack tried to interrupt him, the man said "Cloud Strife. I want you to know that you should always believe in yourself. You're stronger than you think. Just have faith in your own abilities, and become strong enough to protect those around you."

"W-what?"

"I know Cloud the great warrior, and I have no doubt that you will reach that level and wield a weapon far better than those cheap hunks of metal in that shop," the man smirked, and reached out.

Cloud was far too stunned to flinch as the man leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against his lips. Then he was off, striding down the street.

"....what the hell just happened?" Zack asked dazedly.

"I have no idea," Cloud breathed out. "I seriously have no idea."

--

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_Drabble number seven From: f4ng1rlf0r3v4, who is actually spocopop in disguise so that no-one will find out what a fangirl she is :D._

omg! i ttly 4got 2 make my request!1! lollerskates. xD i wood rly rly lyk to see sumthin involving chocolate. lots of chocolate. And some kind of other errotic food stuffz. omg that wood b teh hawtness-droolz- you rawk dude. xD

_But I'm not writing porn for you, no matter how much I love you! So here's the closest I will go :3_

_--_

"I can't- ah!" Cloud shuddered as another hand slid slickly through the melted chocolate on his body, tracing the fine muscles on his torso and dipping into his belly button.

Above him his lovers met in a passionate kiss, and Cloud smiled both at that and the way Sephiroth's long hair tickled his stomach, quickly dirtying the silver locks. No doubt he would later be pedantic in the way he cleaned all of the food out of his hair, but for tonight they had other concerns.

Cloud was distracted again when mouths returned to his body. All three of them here together, touching- that was the way this was meant to be. Sometimes the three of them could not be together , but in the end they would be united again, and that was what mattered.

It was a little unorthodox, but it was their love.

--

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_Drabble number eight from: Crazyamoeba. _

_Ooh, I've loved this story from start to finish, and I'm really excited that you're opening up prompts for drabbles. If you haven't already got it, I'd like to see Cloud getting a little jealous of either Zack or Sephiroth's (completely platonic) attention to someone else. Becauses I'm evil.  
Thank you so much!_

_--_

Cadet Cloud Strife was livid. It was a good thing he had decided to wear his hemet today- otherwise, he'd be getting some strange looks for the angry red flush on his face, or the way he was glaring daggers at one Zachary Fair.

Of course Zack had no idea. All he was doing was gently guiding another cadet through a sword movement, as all the other watching cadets could see, but all Cloud could see was Zack's hands wrapped around the other cadet's, or gently pushing his body into place or! The ultimate betrayal! Zack's hand dared to ruffle the cadet's brown hair.

How could he dare?

Later, perched in Sephiroth's lap as the man rubbed comforting circles into the back of his neck, Cloud refused to be placated (but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the massage).

"It's his job to help the cadets, as part of this new program," Sephiroth has explained soothingly. "Just because you used to train like that with him before doesn't mean he's tried to replace you or anything. We both love you, you know that."

Cloud had slinked off eventually anyway, parting with a passionate kiss and leaving Sephiroth a little frustrated in more than one way as he eyed the paperwork in front of him.

Zack came home tired. Working with the cadets was an interesting experience, but there was only really one he cared about, and he hadn't seen Cloud all day. As he entered his apartment and reached for the lights, he yawned. All he wanted was to see- "Cloud!"

"Zack." Cloud was eyeing him oddly, hands behind his back. "Why don't you get comfy? I'll get you a drink."

"It's so great to see you, Cloud!" Zack grinned at him, suddenly re-energized. "I've been looking for you all day-woah!"

He found himself pushed backwards into a plush chair, and Cloud's fingers deftly worked to secure his hands to the metal frame with what felt like cuffs made of leather and steel.

"Cloud- wha?"

Cloud was straddling him, close enough that Zack's nose nearly pressed against a shirt button on his undone uniform. The blonde's body was nicely cased in a white cotton singlet underneath the shirt, lean and tempting.

"Did you have fun playing with the cadets today, Fair? I hope you didn't forget that you're mine.... should I remind you?" Cloud looked down at him hungrily.

Zack grinned back, arousal swirling within him. He'd forgotten about Cloud's territorial streak, less prominent than his other lover's.

"Will you show me, Cloud?"


End file.
